1Recognizing the 50th anniversary of the June 26, 1964, dynamite
2explosion in Marshalls Creek, Middle Smithfield Township,
3Monroe County, that claimed the lives of three Marshalls
4Creek Fire Company firefighters.

5WHEREAS, On June 26, 1964, a tractor trailer carrying the
6oxidizing ingredient in fertilizer, partially gelatin dynamite
7and blasting caps, caught on fire along Route 209 in Marshalls
8Creek, Middle Smithfield Township, Monroe County; and

9WHEREAS, Members of the Marshalls Creek Fire Company
10responded to a call for fire assistance at the site; and

11WHEREAS, As they attempted to extinguish the blaze, the
12trailer exploded, killing volunteer firefighters Francis Earl
13Miller, Leonard Mosier and Edward Hines; and

14WHEREAS, The explosion also took the lives of three other
15people and injured ten other individuals; and

16WHEREAS, There was also property damage to three fire trucks,
17a hotel, a reptile farm and the Middle Smithfield Elementary

1School; and

2WHEREAS, This incident and others led to enactment of the
3Transportation Safety Act of 1974 (Public Law 93-633, 88 Stat.
42156) which law, among other things, requires placards to be
5visible on trailers carrying certain hazardous materials; and

6WHEREAS, The relevant provisions of the Federal law are
7contained at 49 U.S.C. Ch. 51 (relating to transportation of
8hazardous material); and

9WHEREAS, The Commonwealth is deeply enriched by the
10dedication, protection and assumption of personal risk that
11volunteer firefighters give to our communities; therefore be it

12RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize the
1350th anniversary of the June 26, 1964, dynamite explosion in
14Marshalls Creek, Middle Smithfield Township, Monroe County, that
15claimed the lives of three Marshalls Creek Fire Company
16firefighters.